VILLAGERS - Awayland (PROMO) CD (NEW) (M)

Villagers have done a P!nk. The follow-up to their 2010 debut ‘Becoming A Jackal’ is called ‘{Awayland}’. Yes, with parentheses. I’m just waiting for a group to come out called . It’s surely only a matter of time. But annoying spelling aside, {Awayland} moves the Conor J O’Brien’s sound forward. ‘Earthly Pleasure’ is scuzzier than the band’s previous work, with an anthemic chorus that calls to mind The Killers. Drum machines and strange bleeps (‘The Waves’), and a vocal effect that turns O’Brien into an underwater alien (‘Grateful Song’) suggest a Radiohead influence, and freshen the sound. This is folk 2.0. ‘{Awayland}’ also seems more confident than his debut – there’s less fear and desperation in his vocals and even a jazzy piano and almost funky bassline in ‘Passing A Message’